RMN'S Blog

Three Negative Signals Job Candidates Send During an Interview

Date:October 18, 2013

Interviews can be difficult, and you want to give off the impression of being a strong asset and benefit to the firm. However, some job candidates give off negative signals that can make an interviewer choose to not hire you. Here are a few signals that you should avoid when in an interview:

Changing your answers to questions asked during the interview.

Many employers will ask the same questions but in different words to ensure consistency and honesty with the candidate. Avoid giving insincere or generic answers as a response. Make sure to pay attention to the questions and answer honestly. Truthful and sincere answers always remain the same, even when asked the same question in multiple phrases.

Showing a lack of career goals.

This can give off the perception that you are floating aimlessly in your career, and displaying determination. When asked how you see yourself in 5, 10, or 15 years, the interviewer is seeing what your career goals are. Avoid saying “I don’t know,” even if you are thinking of an answer. Also, try not to fumble through your answer, which can be a sign that you don’t have a clear objective for your future career. Interviewers are looking for a long term investment, and your career goals (or lack thereof) can be a determinant for landing the job.

Do not bad-mouth your former employers.

No matter how bad your previous employer may have been, keep everything positive. Only highlighting the negative aspects of your past employers will make the interviewer think you will probably bad-mouth them as well. Talk about what you have learned and resist the urge to say anything bad.

Giving off a good impression is the key to landing the job you want. Before going to a job interview, be sure to analyze your future career goals, answer the questions honestly and sincerely, and think of the positive aspects of your previous job. These tips can help you show your strong points to the interviewer, and possibly be offered a position at the law firm.

What are some of the hardest interview questions to answer? Find out here.